A Lutheran Home on South White Road Since 1954
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church has stood at 121 South White Road in East San Jose since 1954, when the congregation was first established to serve the surrounding neighborhoods. Nearly seven decades later, the church continues to gather around a simple mission - Caring, Growing and Serving - caring for one another, growing in faith, and serving the community. The aim of becoming more like Jesus shapes every part of life at Gloria Dei, from Sunday worship to Tuesday morning prayer, from the preschool down the hall to partnerships with organizations across Silicon Valley and around the world.
Sunday Mornings at Ten
Worship is held every Sunday at 10 AM and runs about an hour. The service is offered both in person and on YouTube for those worshipping from home, and a weekly sermon replay is posted on the church's site on Sunday evenings.
Visitors find plenty of parking on campus and a come-as-you-are atmosphere, with casual dress the norm. Donuts and coffee are set out before the service. Children are welcome, and childcare is provided by screened adults for children five and under. Worship at Gloria Dei is rooted in the historical practices of the church - creeds, confession, and the Lord's Supper - and is infused with open prayer and music drawn from both older and contemporary traditions. The congregation has described this posture as "relevant and faithful," the phrase used for a recent sermon series walking through Paul's letter to the Corinthians.
Co-Pastors Alek and Jonna Bohigian
The congregation is shepherded by a husband-and-wife pastoral team. Pastors Alek and Jonna Bohigian began their ministry at Gloria Dei in September 2023 and are parents of two boys, Dax and Xander. The two met in seminary, where what began as a friendship grew into marriage, and the marriage has continued to expand into parenthood and into a shared calling. Each had previously served individually at Lutheran and Presbyterian churches before being called to unite their ministries as co-pastors. Their conviction is that followers of Jesus are forever called to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, being the hands and feet of Jesus in a place in desperate need of him.
What Gloria Dei Teaches
The church opens its statement of beliefs with a line from A.W. Tozer: "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." Gloria Dei teaches that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the sole authoritative source for the church's proclamation, faith, and life. In Scripture, God has revealed himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The congregation affirms that human beings were created in God's image, rebelled against God, and were alienated from him. Out of gracious love, God offers salvation and abundant life through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Gloria Dei teaches that salvation is God's work of restoring people to a right relationship with himself and to wholeness, and that nothing can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Baptism is understood as the means by which God makes his own those joined with Christ and with his people. Holy Communion is the means of grace God uses to reassure, renew, and strengthen that relationship; the church teaches that in and with the bread and wine of this Sacrament, the Body and Blood of Christ are received for the forgiveness of sins.
The Early Learning Center
Gloria Dei operates an Early Learning Center that has long been part of the church's ministry to East San Jose families. The preschool is directed by Maria Nugent and maintains its own site and communications. Parents can sign up through the church's contact form to receive updates about the Early Learning Center, including events and current-student news.
A Praying Congregation
Gloria Dei describes itself as a praying church, grounded in the word of God and moved by the power of the Holy Spirit. A Prayer Team gathers every Tuesday from 10 to 11 AM in the Sanctuary. For those who prefer to pray from home, a Prayer Chain circulates weekly prayer lists with the requests of the congregation and community. A Prayer Wall in the Sanctuary is available for anyone to leave an anonymous prayer, and each request is prayed over by the Prayer Team and the pastors. Visitors can submit a prayer request through the church's contact form to be lifted up during the Tuesday meeting.
Mission Partners Near and Far
Gloria Dei partners with a wide network of organizations through financial giving, prayer, and hands-on ministry. Locally in San Jose, these partners include Amigos De Guadalupe, City Team, Love Inc, and the Silicon Valley Sponsoring Committee. International partners include Tartu Academy, Lutheran World Relief, One Step Closer, and Therapeutic Horsemanship. The congregation sees these relationships as an integral extension of its ministry, supporting each one benevolently and looking for the ways God works through every connection.
Leadership and Staff
The day-to-day ministry of Gloria Dei is supported by a Leadership Team whose president is Jon Kromrey, treasurer Josh Smith, and secretary Alex Kromrey. Other members include Dick Nelson, Joyce Boddie, and Ken Miller, who serves as facilities representative. The Office Administrator is Beth Kromrey, who staffs the office from Monday through Thursday between 10 AM and 3 PM and assists visitors with questions.
The church office is at 121 South White Road, San Jose, CA 95127. Those wishing to give can do so in person during the worship service using the offering box near the main sanctuary doors, by mail, or online. Weekly worship can be joined on the church's YouTube livestream.